Arts Award Spotlight: Westchester Children’s Chorus
One by one, ArtsNews is spotlighting this year’s Arts Award honorees. The annual luncheon, this year taking place on April 19, recognizes the individuals and arts groups that have had significant impact on the arts and culture scene in Westchester.
Westchester Children’s Chorus | 2023 Sophia Abeles Arts Education Award
The Westchester Children’s Chorus (WCChorus) engages and empowers a diverse community of children through choral education and performance opportunities. Its commitment to artistry and performance creates a collaborative space with hands-on musical learning experiences while bringing cultural events to the residents of Westchester and its surrounding areas.
The core of the WCChorus program is weekly rehearsals that provide choral music education to students in grades 1-12. The conducting staff is composed entirely of certified public school music teachers; the rest of the staff all have a background in music education. WCChorus uses a scaffolded curriculum created by their staff to ensure that students gain important vocal and musical skills as they move through the program. WCChorus also keeps student development as the top priority by providing engagement with board members who have educational expertise.
This year, the chorus added a young men’s ensemble to support those with changing voices. In addition to its two annual concerts, the group participates regularly in outreach performances with other Westchester organizations. WCChorus has performed at the White Plains Hospital Day of Hope, Westchester Children’s Association Virtual Gala, Larchmont Arts Festival, Music at Asbury and Frosty Festival. It has performed with the New Choral Society and Westchester Chorale. The chorus made its Carnegie Hall debut in 2022. In 2023, it is set to go on its first tour to the Sing-A-Mile-High Festival in Denver.
Featured Image: WCChorus at Ellens in NYC – Westchester Children’s Chorus at Ellen’s Stardust Diner in NYC before their Carnegie Hall Debut
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About ArtsWestchester
For more than 50 years, ArtsWestchester has been the community’s connection to the arts. Founded in 1965, it is the largest private not-for-profit arts council in New York State. Its mission is to create an equitable, inclusive, vibrant and sustainable Westchester County in which the arts are integral to and integrated into every facet of life. ArtsWestchester provides programs and services that enrich the lives of everyone in Westchester County. ArtsWestchester helps fund concerts, exhibitions and plays through grants; brings artists into schools and community centers; advocates for the arts; and builds audiences through diverse marketing initiatives. In 1998, ArtsWestchester purchased the nine-story neo-classical bank building at 31 Mamaroneck Avenue which has since been transformed into a multi-use resource for artists, cultural organizations and the community. A two-story gallery is located on the first floor of ArtsWestchester’s historic building on Mamaroneck Avenue. artsw.org
